Electronic devices typically include a circuit substrate, such as a printed circuit board on which a number of electronic and/or optical components may be mounted. Each electronic and optical component may include one or more circuits that provide one or more functions for the electronic component. For example, an electronic component may include a single component circuit such as a transistor, or a multi-component circuit, such as a voltage regulator. Each component may include a number of inputs that provide data or signals to the component and a number of outputs that provide data or signals that may be generated in accordance with the function performed by the component.
Certain electronic components are commonly used in a variety of electronic devices. For example, almost every electronic device includes one or more transistors. Accordingly, standard electronic package configurations have been established by various industries in an attempt to standardize the size, shape, input and output pin arrangements, and various other characteristics of common electronic components.
A type of standardized electronic package is the SOT-23-6 (Small-Outline Transistor) package, which includes a rectangular enclosure that houses one or more single or multicomponent circuit(s) and includes six input/output pins. Three pins are arranged at equal distances on one side of the enclosure, while the remaining three pins are arranged in the same fashion on an opposite side of the enclosure. The pins are connected to the circuit(s) housed in the enclosure to provide input to and output from the circuit(s).
Another standardized electronic package is the SOT-23-3 package, which includes a rectangular enclosure that houses one or more single or multicomponent circuit(s) and includes three input/output pins. Two pins are arranged at equal distances on one side of the enclosure, while the remaining pin is arranged at the center of an opposite side of the enclosure. The pins are connected to the circuit(s) housed in the enclosure to provide input to and output from the circuit(s). The enclosure of the SOT-23-3 package is identical in size to the enclosure of the SOT-23-6 package. Additionally, the three pins of the SOT-23-3 package are arranged on the enclosure at the same locations as three corresponding pins of the SOT-23-6 package.
Yet another standardized electronic package is the SOT-23-5 package, which includes a rectangular enclosure that houses one or more single or multicomponent circuit(s) and includes five input/output pins. Two pins are arranged at equal distances on one side of the enclosure, while three pins are arranged equal distances on an opposite side of the enclosure. The pins are connected to the circuit(s) housed in the enclosure to provide input to and output from the circuit(s). The enclosure of the SOT-23-5 package is identical in size to the enclosure of the SOT-23-6 package. Additionally, the five pins of the SOT-23-5 package are arranged on the enclosure at the same locations as five corresponding pins of the SOT-23-6 package.
Because a pair of SOT-23-3 packages collectively have six pins, a pair of SOT-23-3 packages, with each performing a single function, may be substituted on a circuit substrate for a single SOT-23-6 package that performs both functions. Additionally, because a SOT-23-3 package and a SOT-23-5 package collectively have at least six pins, with each performing a single function, they may be substituted on a circuit substrate for a single SOT-23-6 package that performs both functions. However, the space used by the pair of SOT-23-3 packages or a SOT-23-3 package and a SOT-23-5 package may exceed the available space on the substrate where the SOT-23-6 package was mounted due to the pin arrangements of the SOT-23-6 package, any one of the SOT-23-3 packages, and the SOT-23-5 package. The space on the circuit substrate where the SOT-23-6 package was mounted may not be usable by any of the SOT-23-3 packages and/or the SOT-23-5 package.
Therefore, there is a need for a single 6-pin electronic package that can be replaced with a pair of similarly sized and arranged electronic packages that collectively include at least six pins on circuit substrates where space is limited.